Politics, Not Science Behind Water Quality Rollback — LRInspire

I don’t know how you can be against clean water, but some of the industries in our state are.

They have convinced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to roll back the water quality standards we established two years ago. Now being implemented, these standards are among the most protective of human health in the nation. They were developed in cooperation with industry after 20 years of effort. They reflect the truth of Washington state’s economic and cultural connection to water and water-based resources.

The pulp and paper industry, oil companies and others are behind the rollback, using the same old excuses that industry has used for decades to avoid regulation.

Automakers once claimed that air bags, unleaded gas and pollution-reducing catalytic converters – even seat belts – would spell the end of the auto industry. Too expensive, they said. The technology doesn’t exist. The standards are too high and their effectiveness is questionable.

Today, the industry accepts those health and safety standards as the cost of doing business. In fact, safety ratings now drive profits. The auto industry was forced to innovate because we had the courage and wisdom to require them to meet new standards.

via Politics, Not Science Behind Water Quality Rollback — LRInspire